#( * soren / visage. )

[horrorbxby]

soren  had  never  considered  the  bolton  household  ‘home’.  the  word  had  never  sat  right  with  them  even  as  a  child.  it  was  always  “ i’m  on  my  way  back, ”  or,  “ i  left  it  at  the  house. ”  never  “ i’ll  see  you  when  i  get  home. ”  it  mostly  boiled  down  to  the  fact  that  soren  never  felt  comfortable  within  those  walls.  it  was  the  constant  dreading  waking  up  in  the  morning,  knowing  their  mother  would  pull  their  lengthy  hair  into  pigtails  ( despite  their  wailing  protests )  to  get  them  ready  for  school.  “ this  is  what  the  other  girls  in  your  class  like, ”  she  would  say  as  soren  attempted  to  squirm  out  of  her  grasp.  they’d  been  very  lucky  that  caroline  bolton  hadn’t  attempted  to  perm  her  hair  in  an  attempt  to  make  sure  she  fit  in  with  her  snobby  friends  children.  

in  their  teen  years,  they  felt  trapped  within  that  house,  knowing  that  when  they  stepped  foot  inside,  their  mother  would  be  shoving  them  into  another  little  outfit  that  might  as  well  have  been  a  uniform,  in  an  attempt  to  make  them  look  presentable  for  when  caroline  and  philip  bolton’s  wealthy  friends  visited. as  though  they  were  showing  her  off.  saying,  “ look  at  what  we’ve  sculpted  her  into.  she  came  from  nothing,  and  look  where  she  is  now. ”  oftentimes,  she  felt  like  a  doll,  living  in  a  dollhouse,  other  people  dressing  her  and  putting  her  wherever  they  wanted  for  their  own  entertainment.  for  that  reason,  it  was  never  a  home.  only  a  prison.

after  that,  came  the  apartment  that  soren  sought  refuge  in  after  her  parents  had  blamed  her  for  her  own  near-death  experience.  at  first,  it  was  a  stock  standard  apartment.  like  if  an  alien  had  watched  all  of  the  current  television  shows,  and  you  asked  it  to  make  an  ideal  human  apartment,  that  would  be  the  result.  even  with  soren  having  helped  sawyer  unpack  her  things,  the  apartment  still  didn’t  really  seem  lived-in.  “ i  promise  it  will  only  be  temporary,  until  i  can  figure  something  out, ”  soren  had  told  her.  sawyer  was  willing  to  give  her  all  the  time  they  needed  –  all  the  time  in  the  world.  she  would  make  sure  they  would  want  for  nothing.

now,  soren  wakes  up  to  organised  chaos  within  their  apartment,  next  to  someone  who  is  pleased  that  the  place  now  has  so  much  life.  someone who  runs  her  hands  through  soren’s  silky  hair  without  complaining  about  the  length  or  the  cut  or  the  lack  of  texture.  she  sometimes  stays  up  until  the  sun  rises,  and  when  she  falls  asleep  at  her  painting,  sitting  on  the  living  room  floor,  she  wakes  up  in  bed,  tucked  in  tight.  they  watch  sawyer  when  she’s  deep  in  her  work,  brow  furrowed,  as  focused  as  ever.  and  sawyer  watches  soren  paint,  her  body  moving  so  fluidly  as  she  pushes  paint  across  the  canvas,  just  as  focused,  eyes  telling  sawyer  that  she’s  currently  on  another  planet.  she  shows  sawyer  all  of  her  favourite  places  in  shrike  heights,  telling  her  stories  that  are  listened  to  with  full  attention.  stories  she’s  never  told  anyone  before,  because  no-one  had  wanted  to  listen.

when  she  goes  to  work,  she  gives  sawyer  a  kiss  goodbye.

“ don’t  miss  me  too  much.  i’ll  see  you  when  i  get  home ! ”         

♡ 13 days of moodboards ♡  

⋆  soren  chen  ⋆  (  day  05  /  13  ) ⋆  ft.  ;  sawyer  pearson.  (  @shrikc-gals  )

[starliitstories]

[tofeelthecold]

soren tags

[seuonji]

彡 the lyrics — choi seungcheol

—in which fans find out yn’s lyrics are about someone they know. not even her fellow members knew this but anyways, now their concern is, who’s the lyrics about?

FINALE

part 1 ๑ part 2 ๑ part 3 ๑ part 4 ๑ part 5

song inspo— cheetah by deux visages

song inspo2— soren by beabadoobee

genre ๑ fluff & crack

notes ๑ band au! short smau.

author note at the end!<3

from aya: this was more or less a closing to the story! though i’m not that proud of this smau (it could’ve been sm better TT) it was still super fun to write and i’m so thankful for all of you who have requested for new parts and showed interest. it was a huge motivator and i appreciate you guys so much. thank you reading!! I LOVE YOU! hope you stick around to read my other upcoming smaus <3 MWAH i hope your pillows are cold tonight!

[keyrey]

ꕥ𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰/ 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢ꕥ

“When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” —Linda Poindexter

■□■(SFW, family headcannon.)■□■

𝓡𝓮𝓭, a testament to never-ending strength and courage. White, a resemblance of peace and purity. Denmark, a hot-ass place to be in the middle of summer, wearing a thick cream colored suit and tie. It’s what you’ve been trying to tell your headstrong, handsome, manly hunk of a husband all evening. Although somehow, you’ve ended up bundled in layers of silk sheets, the orange sun peeking through the sheer curtains, the ever-so-calming timbre of Farum Lake and rustling leaves, cradled warmly in the embrace of the man we all know and love, Kento freaking Nanami.

“I swear I’m gonna break that damn clock one day,” you blurt out before your mind can register what you said. A slight offense on your part—forgetting that the clock you’re so avidly pressed about was Nanami’s grandmother’s, one of the last remnants of her being. Grandpa Soren’s house is the worst place to be in the scorching summer heat. Do you want air conditioning? Buy a water bottle and a bucket of ice. If it weren’t for the croissant bakery, the ice cream truck, and the taco joint down the road, you’d flee right back to good ol’ Ammurica on the first flight available, but… this is one of the sacrifices you have to make when you have a husband, right?

"I love your commitment to destroying antique furniture. Maybe we should replace all our furniture with IKEA next." 

You can’t help but roll your eyes at his snarkiness. He does that sometimes, most of the time. “Nanami—” “I apologize.” 

“Yeah, you better, fool!” You laugh heartily, chest hurting as you throw a nearby pillow at him. But of course, with his trained Jujutsu reflexes, he dodged it perfectly even though he’s retired. 

“Dammit! I will get you next time!” The other pillow you were about to chuck straight into that gorgeous face of his, got halted by the creek of the rusty metal hinges. You both looked, craning your heads to the side. 

Slimy fingers which most definitely were coated with snot and boogers trailed up your sides. An ooey, gooey monster? No… just your five year old girl, Jasmine, who runs in the house like she owns the place. You refuse to tell her that one day, she will. 

Jasmine held one of those velcro wooden pizza sets that you can mix and match. You guessed it was her favorite feature because it was the only explanation for a pineapple, salmon, mushroom and pepperoni pizza all in one. To make it even better, her slobbery fingers made an excellent argument on why NOT to indulge in this intriguing delicacy. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDYYYYYYY!!!!” Jasmine was your crazy ball of energy, you really have no idea how she is such a contrast to both your and Nanami’s personalities. 

Grandpa Soren shuffled into the room, his long beard swinging slightly with each step. Coupled with an angular visage. The lines on his face told stories of loneliness, but his eyes brightened as they took in the sight of his family. 

His voice, though worn and gravelly, carried a tender note as he spoke. "I'm sorry," he said, running a hand through his beard, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "She just really wanted to see you on your birthday, Nanami."

Jasmine returned to galloping around the master bedroom like the centaur she is– should be. 

"She's too fickle! Slips right out of my hands!" he chuckled, shaking his head in amused resignation.

“How would you all feel about a birthday breakfast in bed, hmm?” Now we’re talking. You were the first to raise your hand, NOT your birthday. Nanami looked at you, a knowing look on his face. A nod of confirmation, and Grandpa Soren is gone, whisked away into the wonders of the kitchen. 

The scent of warm pastry dough, buttery and slightly sweet, mingled with the eggs, created an irresistible symphony of smells that tickled the senses.

“Daddyyyyyy!!!! Why not eat my pizza!!!!!?? Is delicious!!!”

She really needs to go back to preschool. You couldn’t hold back your reaction, a fierce chortle, eliciting a brown faux fur pillow right in your face, shutting you up immediately. 

Nanami went into full-on dad mode, a mode that even when you two are alone, is hard to turn off. Literally, his pupils dilated fully, looking like a straight up puppy. He seemed to snake off the bed effortlessly and onto the ground, kneeling down to her level. You witnessed his hands tremble in fear as he stuck out the tip of his tongue to taste his daughter’s creation. 

“You like? You like, daddy!!???”

He tried his hardest not to break his facade and provided Jasmine with a crooked smile, attempting to hide the sensation of his stomach twitching.

“Delicious, baby. Make Daddy another one?” And thus began the start of a grave mistake that eventually roped you and Grandpa Soren around in it as well. Sour expressions ran through the family. Luckily, you were no longer burning in the heat as Grandpa invested into a fan. You thought you’d never see the day. Only Nanami would risk his life for his daughter’s wooden pizza creations. This is why Nanami is daddy. Our very own daddy. 

╰┈➤Banner (Canva rules) ╰┈➤Fanart drawn by yours truly - KeyRey. ╰┈➤Special thanks to @cafekitsune for the divider! ╰┈➤ Extra special thanks to @pseudowho for inspiration to start writing again ahhh! Love your work ❤️

(I don’t know if I was supposed to tag, sorry! New to the unspoken rules of tumblr etiquette 😅😅 >.<)

■□■<Unrelated Teaser for a potential sequel>■□■ An autistic dog accompanied by an autistic girl, an uncalled for turn of events, but my current reality as he shakes in my arms, petrified by the sharp, whirring whistles of red, white and blue. A symbol of bravery, peace and freedom. But we all know expectations and realities provide an unequivocal sense of falseness. Which is why a compressed thunder jacket, warm cozy blankets and bread coated in peanut butter, stuffed with an anxiety pill inside is the way to go.

Extra little note: A few mistakes might've went under my radar when writing this, please don't be afraid to point out corrections! ⇣⇣Real footage of Nanami and his baby⇣⇣

[sinsolucion]

... So I heard that one of your officers allegedly walked into a glass door and allegedly shattered it. Do you have any comments on that incident? Was he paying attention?

     THIS is why he urged debonair in the eyes of the public. not only do they love to mistake the facts—and by god, did he want to correct that it was a window, but he couldn't confirm which of his folk were this talk's topic and did not want to fan flames—but they took up valuable time in the process, whether on the clock or not.

amicable nature or not, he had not escaped the well - known disease lovingly known as resting bitch face. when unappeased—hell, even just inattentive—his face fell to a stinging neutrality that welcomed little to no one, sans those who came to learn his visage simply looks more fierce than the man donning it personally is.

❝ whatever officer you speak of, i am sure it allegedly occurred with intent and necessity. those i oversee are fully qualified, and always aware of their surroundings as one must be in the line of duty. i appreciate your concern over their well - being, but i have no further commentary at this time. ❞  

though ray might be long free of training, soren would quite enjoy seeing him defuse media bombardment... rather than being forced to do it himself. his mother, too, was eager for a scoop and had no shame badgering him every now and then... vultures, truly  ( as if this mama's boy didn't cave to her whims every now and then ).  

[sworen]

help girl im head empty all i can think abt is da!soren & how having viren’s blood magic on him involve dragon blood makes him a reaver & how reavers are warriors but like super fucked up & how smtimes that fucked upness manifests in outwardly visible ways

[feyril-moved]

pretty boy ( derogatory )

[theyloss]

soren things because i love him //

- although he and claudia have always been inseparable, hes always felt like second best. he doesn’t know magic like the rest of his family, and to be honest, he doesn’t want to.  - even after fully healing from that event, soren still walks with a slight limp and is prone to back pains.  - he regrets not making sure claudia want with him when he left, because he knows what viren is like. - he comes off as an asshole jock kind of character when you don’t know him, but soren is really just a charismatic dumbass who’s so kind hearted and means well. all he’s ever wanted to do is impress viren.

[beautiifulghostts]

   Soren Lightbourn (Apolo) tags !

[horrorbxby]

                                         i always wanted to die clean and pretty                                            but i'd be too busy on working days                            so i am relieved that the turbulence wasn't forecasted                                               i couldn't have changed anyways

                                                    ⋆ soren chen ⋆

[mystiika]

tag drop 4/?

[starliitstories]

[tofeelthecold]

tag drop

[sworen]

i was rewatchin hsm2 & milk told me to draw muses as troy poses so. heres that skdjfh

[zuppizup]

Beach

Obligatory beach ‘episode’. My only excuse is that it’s still stupid hot in Australia.

Summary: Rayla attempts to confront her fear of water.

Pairing: Rayla/Callum. hints of Amaya/Janai

Word Count: 2742

AO3 Link: Beach

—

Rayla looks out at everyone enjoying the beach. Ezran and Soren are trying to ensure Bait stays close to shore. The little glow toad is clearly enjoying his unlikely swim and is making numerous breaks for freedom.

Ezran frets about some sea monster getting a taste for his grumpy companion, continually directing Bait’s froggy paddle back towards shore.

Despite the warm afternoon sun, Rayla shivers, the memory of rushing after the little guy still making her anxious.

It was years ago now, but it still turns her stomach to think of those few minutes in the deep, dark lake. The feeling of being submerged in the murky waters still makes her heart race.

The oppressive crushing sensation of water all around her is something she still detests.

Her eyes drift to Callum, Amaya and Janai. They are swimming a little further out.

The sight of Callum so far from shore makes her heart race but she cannot tear her eyes away. She knows she is being irrational, that this whole water thing is ridiculous, but she truly cannot help it.

So, she elects to watch over him, despite her unease. If a sea monster attacks or he gets a cramp, she needs to be ready to spring into action.

For a supposed holiday, this trip has been anything but relaxing for her. The weather has been unseasonably hot and the only relief seems to be the glistening waters beside the summer retreat of the royal family of the Sunfire elves.

She sits in the shade of a tree, hot and uncomfortable. It probably doesn’t help that her clothing is traditional Moonshadow dark greens and navy, though she at least has short pants on leaving her legs exposed to the occasional breeze. Her hood and armour she has left back at the cabin.

Callum’s looks over at her and raises his hand in a wave. She smiles as she raises her own hand to return the gesture.

He says something to Amaya and Janai before he begins swimming towards shore.

Callum ruffles Ezran’s hair as he chats to him and Soren briefly on his way out of the shallows.

Rayla feels her heart skip a beat as he begins walking up the sand towards her, clad only in short, baggy pants. She’s still surprised at the changes in him while they’ve been away from each other. They try and see each other as often as possible but it’s not always easy. She is Dragon Guard while Zym is still young and his mage training frequently takes him away from extended periods.

This latest period apart has been one of their longest; over four months. In fact, she didn’t even think she would see him so soon but he had secretly asked Zubeia if she could have her birthday off. Before he even explained that Ezran, Amaya and Soren would be making a trip to Xadia the Archdragon had agreed happily. She was fond of all of them considering what they had done for her and her son.

It was handy having their birthdays close so they could celebrate together.

Callum had clearly spent the past few months training hard, though, he had been slowly gaining muscle ever since she met him. She hasn’t really thought it was something she cared about either way but the sight of him jogging up the beach to her, water glistening on his toned shoulders and bare chest makes her breath catch.

“Hi!“ He grins as he plonks down next to her, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

“Ahhh, get off me!” She protests out, pushing him away, grinning. “You’re all cold and wet.”

He chuckles, grabbing her around the waist and shaking his soaking hair. “You look like you need to cool down!”

“Stop!” She wriggles in an attempt to free herself, laughing hysterically. A year or two ago she might have succeeded but he’s noticeable stronger these days.

“Nope! I’m doing my princely duty and rescuing you from heat stroke.” He winks and her heart skips a beat. It’s not just his body that has changed these part four months. He has lost the last remnants of his teenage visage, his jaw now stronger, more pronounced. She can’t help but grin back at the cheeky glint in his forest green eyes. She had always thought him cute, even very early on (though she would have been loath to admit it), but he’s truly become handsome in recent years.

“You know, you don’t have to sit here with me.” She squeezes his hand. “I’m fine.”

He kisses her cheek before nuzzling her neck. “I want to be with you.”

Her pulse races as she leans back, looking him in the eye. “Honestly, I don’t mind if you want to go swimmin’ with everyone else. I’m happy just relaxin’ here. I don’t want to ruin your holiday.” While she truly wants him with her, she knows he rarely gets time to relax with his family and she does not want to get in the way of that.

He rolls his eyes. “Because you look super relaxed sitting all by yourself in the heat.” He tucks a strand of hair behind her delicately pointed ear, clearly enjoying the shiver the tender gesture elicits. “Rayla, the only reason I’m here is because I want to see you.”

“Oh really?” She grins. “Shall I tell Ezran and your aunt that?”

Callum snorts. “Ok, well maybe not the only reason but the main reason.” He slips a hand under her legs and swings them over his own, sighing. “Let’s never go that long without seeing each other again, deal?”

“Deal.” She presses her forehead against his before leaning forward to kiss him deeply.

“Grooooooooss! Get a room!”

They giggle into the kiss but are otherwise unperturbed by Soren’s playful taunting. Rayla makes an obscene human gesture Amaya taught her in the Crown Guard’s general direction without looking.

“That doesn’t work as well when you’ve only got four fingers.” Soren yells back.

They break apart, laughing.

“Who invited Soren?” Rayla asks sarcastically.

“Bait, I think.” Callum leans back on his hands as Rayla sprawls on the rug, her legs still draped over Callum’s.

They rest in companionable silence, Callum’s hand gently ghosting back and forth across her calves. She watches him through hooded eyes. He is smiling contentedly at the others, snorting in amusement every now and then. He looks uncomfortably hot though, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes often and wiping his brow.

Rayla takes a deep breath, looking out over the sparkling water. “Ok.“ She nods at him. “Let’s do this.”

Callum furrows his brow. “Do what?”

“It’s too hot and I’m sick of seeing you sweating. Let’s… let’s go into the water.” She swallows, looking him in the eye as she sits up.

Callum smiles softly, leaning forward to take her hand. “Rayla, it’s ok. I told you, I like hanging out with you.”

“It’s fine, Callum.” She nods reassuringly. “I… I want to. Seriously.”

He can’t help the small laugh that escapes his lips. “Em, you don’t sound that convincing.”

“Well, don’t expect me to go out far.” She looks at him seriously. “I’m just going to sit in the shallows but we can cool off at least.”

He sighs, gazing at her with a soft look in his eyes.

“Come on.” She gets to her feet and holds her hand out for him.

Callum allows her to pull him to his feet. “Are you sure?”

She rolls her eyes, stubbornly making her way to the shore. “I’m sure.”

She does permit him to catch up and before they make it to the gently lapping waters, she takes Callum’s hand in her own. He gives it a reassuring squeeze.

She smiles meekly, stepping forward into the water and sighing a little as the cool water laps her toes. “It feels ok, I guess.”

Callum smiles, stepping out deeper and turning to face her. “Just do whatever you’re comfortable with.”

She moves to sit down, before suddenly re-thinking. “You didn’t see anything gross in here, did you? Jellyfish or fish or crabs?”

Callum winces. “Well, I didn’t see any but…” He shrugs.

She considers this but elects to sit down anyway, Callum following suit. She rests with her legs pulls tight against her chest before slowly stretching them out into the water. After a beat, she shuffles forward a little so that the water comes up to her bellybutton.

Tentatively, she looks over at Callum, finding him beaming at her.

“Well done.” He leans forward, kissing her softly.

She rolls her eyes, trying to hide her discomfort. “I’m stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, Rayla.” He takes her hand under the water.

She looks over at Ezran and Soren, then Amaya and Janai. They have all moved a little further away from them and have turned their backs slightly. She’s known them all for years now and she knows they’re all well aware of her phobia.

She appreciates them not staring, yet it doesn’t make it any less embarrassing or shameful. She knows Callum and Ezran were right years ago when they told her it’s weird that Moonshadow elves never show fear but it’s hard to simply throw of years of cultural influence.

She shuffles out further, not letting go of Callum’s hand. The gradient is very slight which makes her feel a little more comfortable and in control. She is happier they are at a lake as well. The water is relatively placid, compared to a rushing river or wavy sea.

She keeps going until she is forced to stand in order to keep her head above the water. Callum moves around to stand in front of her, taking both her hands in his.

“Don’t push yourself.” He rubs his thumbs over the back of her hands.

“It’s not so bad.” She breathes, eyes resolutely down cast, searching the shimmering water for wildlife. She glances up at Callum and smiles at the attentive look on his face. “Thanks.”

“Any time.” He nods, continuing to follow her lead.

She steps forward once more, the water now lapping at her chest. Her foot connects with something solid and moving and she feels the terror rise in her chest.

She lets out a strangled “Eep” sound and launches herself at Callum, wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his middle in an effort to escape whatever it is that is down there.

“Rayla!” Callum calls out in shock as he wraps one arm around her waist and uses the other to steady himself. Miraculously, he manages to stay on his feet and keep both of them above water. “Are you ok? What’s wrong?” He shifts her a little, his free arm coming around to hold her as well.

“There’s something down there!” She squeaks into his neck, gripping him tightly.

Callum grunts from her crushing grip. Her arms are tight around his neck, but her legs are squeezing him almost painfully around the ribs. Not only does it make it hard for him to breathe but it is incredibly distracting. “Rayla,” He chuckles. “That was me.”

She leans back to look at him, her face centimetres from his. “What?”

He leans his forehead against hers. “That was my foot.”

“Oh.” She flushes. “…Sorry.”

“It’s ok.” He grins softly at her. “I wouldn’t mind some air though.” He gently squeezes her legs as he attempts to shift her weight.

She loosens her grip a little, looking somehow both embarrassed and miserable. She hides her face in his neck again. “I don’t want to put my feet down.” She grumbles.

“Here.” He uses one hand to guide her legs away from where they’re wrapped around him, guiding them so that she’s resting against his chest. He slips that hand under her knees and the other around her back, cradling her against him in a bridal hold. “That ok?” He presses his cheek against her head between her horns.

“It’s better...” She pulls him closer, her arms still gripping his neck tightly.

“Want to go back in?”

“No.” She sounds sullen.  

“Rayla,” He chuckles. “You are clearly not comfortable.”

“You like the water.” She sounds adorably grumpy.

He snickers. “I kinda like you being happy more.”

She shrugs and he elects to take that as a yes.

He carries her without protest until they are completely out of the water, at which point Rayla attempts to get down.

“Oh no,” He grins. “I’ve got you now. You have to let me get you to the rug at least.”

She rolls her eyes, glancing at the others.

“Hey, this is tradition.” He shifts her weight slightly.

“What?” She queries.

“Carrying someone like this.” He blushes. “It’s not an elf thing?”

“No,” She looks confused. “What kind of tradition is it?”

“Em, a good one.” He grins goofily. “Though if you don’t want Amaya to give us hassle, we should probably stay away from thresholds.”

She furrows her brow but elects to allow him to carry her to the rug. “Humans are so weird.”

Once they reach the rug, he lets her down gently.

Rayla sighs, wrapping her arms around her legs. Callum sits next to her and slings an arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple.  

She sighs. “At least we were able to cool off.”

Callum snorts. “Eh, not sure having you jump me like that fits my definition of “cooling off".”

She moves back to look at him, slapping his arm affectionately. “Callum!”

“What?!” He raises his eyebrows, laughing. “I haven’t seen you in months! I’m not a saint.”

She pouts mockingly, attempting to hide a grin. “Eugh, I can’t believe you took advantage of me in my moment of need.”

He wraps his arms around her waist, kissing her cheek. “I’m pretty sure you took advantage of me!”

She rolls her eyes, smiling lopsidedly before looking back out to where the others are still enjoying the sparkling waters. “I’m sorry. I thought I could do it.” She sighs.

Callum’s stomach drops. “Rayla, stop.” He pulls her closer against him. “I don’t want you to do that to yourself just because you think I want to swim or whatever.”

She shrugs. “I should be able to get over it.”

“People don’t just “get over" lifelong phobias.” He looks at her, though she is clearly avoiding his eyes.

She takes a deep breath before she glances at him. “You did.”

“What?” He looks at her, perplexed.

“You know, the heights thing?”

“Oh.” He flushes. “I thought I managed to hide that.”

She rolls her eyes, grinning softly. “You did not.”

“Huh, well, that’s not the same. I never liked heights, but I didn’t have a phobia. And anyway, you were there to reassure me.”

“Even with you I’m still too much of a coward to deal with water.” She looks away again.

“Seriously, stop it.” He sounds impatient before he takes a breath and starts again. “You saved Bait, didn’t you? And you sailed across the sea for Zym. When you need to, you face it. That doesn’t mean you have to enjoy the water.”

“You didn’t like heights and now you fly all the time. You managed to face it and now it doesn’t bother you anymore.” She bites her lip. “No matter how much I try I still hate the water.”

“Are you talking about the Storm Spire?” He pulls her around to look at him. “I wasn’t afraid of the height.” He ponders for a second. “Well, I was because it was stupid high, but I was more afraid of losing you.” He cups her cheek. “I’d have done anything to avoid that. I’ve lost so many people I love already; I couldn’t bear to lose another.”

She leans into his touch. “It was still stupid, and I still can’t believe you had never done that spell before you jumped, dummy.” Despite her harsh words, her cheeks are stained pink and she has a soft look in her eyes.

He narrows his eyes at her, grinning. “You do realise most people think that was insanely romantic, right?”

Rayla rolls her eyes as she slips her hands around his waist. “Most people are idiots.”

“Well, I guess you love an idiot then.” He smirks as he leans in to kiss her.

She grins, as she moves to kiss him back. “Pfft, I knew that before you threw yourself off a cliff.”